Freedom Communications, owner of The Orange County Register, is poised to strike a highly unusual partnership with the city of Anaheim whereby the media company would be the city's broker as it pursues corporate sponsorships for its controversial transportation hub project.

News of the deal has drawn criticism from Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait and warnings from media ethics experts that the county's largest newspaper could be seen as an “agent of the government.”

Freedom Communications co-owner and Register publisher Aaron Kushner defended the arrangement as just a new twist to traditional advertising sponsorships that speaks to the media company's commitment to the region's future.